Micheal
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
The Starting XV:
1. Sio
2. Moore (c)
3. Kepu
4. Arnold
5. Coleman
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Timani
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Naivalu
12. Hodge
13. Kuridrani
14. DHP
15. Folau
Rationale:
1-5: pick themselves.
6: Fardy is the obvious replacement for Mumm - they are similar players that provide similar skillsets. Happy to see Mumm out of the 23 and lets hope Fardy takes this opportunity to return to his RWC form.
7: Pocock vs. Hooper. What a problem to have, and I don't think that theres really a 'wrong' or 'bad' decision. Either would take the 7 jersey in any other team in the world, yet they both offer very different things. I think that we should rotate them to give both Hooper a rest (the energiser bunny has barely missed a Tahs / Wallabies game in years), Pocock some playing time but most importantly to not give Pocock too much playing time as he susceptible to injury.
We're heading up to the cold wintery North and considering that Wales play Gatland-ball I think that Pocock is the right player to start. Gatland loves his big "power-game" brutes and his team rarely gets it past 13. Horses for courses and Poey's tighter game causes him to win the selection battle.
8: Timani. He's doing so, so well and he offers something that none of our other forwards can provide. Let him teach the NH sides what a real bruising 8 looks like (Vunipola vs. Timani holy smokes what a match up that'll be). The double seven experiment is over.
9-10: I'm a Phipps / Foley man. I like the quick ball, line threatening running and Foley's stability. I don't think we give up too much in attack and I don't think Foley's kicking is that much of a weakness. Many of you will disagree but I'm fairly confident they'll be selected and I think they certainly should be after their last performance.
12-13: Let Hodge show his wares at 12 in a test match that isn't against the best team in the world at the ground they never lose at. Kuridrani to 13 for the same reasons as Pocock at 7. Not the world's biggest 'Drani fan but he's a solid ball runnerand solid defender with test experience to boot. The 12-13 channel is the main attacking channel for Wales so we need someone who'll tackle all day here. He won't let us down and Folau to be tested at 13 against Scotland.
11, 14-15: Only surprise here is Naivalu. Speight going for the intercept against NZ is a fucking drop-able offense if I've ever seen one. If you've been gifted your first test cap after some pretty average form don't you dare go for an intercept off a set piece play 10m out from our try line in the first half of the game. He let ALP score the world's easiest try.
Aside from that, Speight and Naivalu are pretty similar players but Naivalu edges him on pace and current form. I also thought Naivalu was looking to get quite involved when he came on and I think that should be rewarded.
The Bench:
16. Slipper
17. Hansen
18. AAA / Robertson
19. Simmons
20. Hooper
21. Frisby
22. Quade
23. Speight / McMahon
Rationale:
16-17: Slipper is class yet his form hasn't been fantastic. Let him play back into form as I think his scrummaging can be top-notch and he's about as dynamic around the park as props come. Hansen to get more game time (Moore has been playing too many minutes) and one of the young guns to round off the reserve front row.
19-20: Dob Dimmons has impressed me off the bench of late which says a lot as I fucking hate him as a player. I think we should look to speed the game up in the last 20-30 and he'll help us do this. He's never offered much impact but he's reliable and hopefully some time on the bench will continue to fire him up. Hooper needs no introduction nor explanation.
21-22: To come in the last 20-30 to speed the game up alongside 19-20. Where Quade will play I'm not sure but I have no doubt he'll get considerable minutes at 10 on tour, both in the starting team and from the bench.
23: Either Speight to offer some backline cover, or McMahon to assist with the breaking open of the game in the last 30. McMahon is an absolute animal and deserves to be on the field, but I'm not sure if its optimal for the balance of the team.
A 6-2 split would be possible as many of our backline players are quite versatile (see below), and I think Cheika may be tempted into going for it considering McMahon is exactly the type of abrasive player he loves, and doesn't require too much of a compromise as he is a solid lineout option. Could see him going on for either Timani or Fardy in the second half.
Backline Permutations:
Player: main position, secondary position, (tenuous cover if needed).
Phipps: Halfback, (wing).
Foley: Flyhalf, inside centre, fullback, (wing).
Naivalu: Wing, outside centre.
Hodge: Inside centre, outside centre, wing, fullback.
Kudridrani: Outside centre, (wing), (inside centre).
DHP: Wing, fullback, (outside centre).
Folau: Fullback, wing, outside centre.
Frisby: Halfback.
Quade: Flyhalf, fullback, (inside centre), (wing).
1. Sio
2. Moore (c)
3. Kepu
4. Arnold
5. Coleman
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Timani
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Naivalu
12. Hodge
13. Kuridrani
14. DHP
15. Folau
Rationale:
1-5: pick themselves.
6: Fardy is the obvious replacement for Mumm - they are similar players that provide similar skillsets. Happy to see Mumm out of the 23 and lets hope Fardy takes this opportunity to return to his RWC form.
7: Pocock vs. Hooper. What a problem to have, and I don't think that theres really a 'wrong' or 'bad' decision. Either would take the 7 jersey in any other team in the world, yet they both offer very different things. I think that we should rotate them to give both Hooper a rest (the energiser bunny has barely missed a Tahs / Wallabies game in years), Pocock some playing time but most importantly to not give Pocock too much playing time as he susceptible to injury.
We're heading up to the cold wintery North and considering that Wales play Gatland-ball I think that Pocock is the right player to start. Gatland loves his big "power-game" brutes and his team rarely gets it past 13. Horses for courses and Poey's tighter game causes him to win the selection battle.
8: Timani. He's doing so, so well and he offers something that none of our other forwards can provide. Let him teach the NH sides what a real bruising 8 looks like (Vunipola vs. Timani holy smokes what a match up that'll be). The double seven experiment is over.
9-10: I'm a Phipps / Foley man. I like the quick ball, line threatening running and Foley's stability. I don't think we give up too much in attack and I don't think Foley's kicking is that much of a weakness. Many of you will disagree but I'm fairly confident they'll be selected and I think they certainly should be after their last performance.
12-13: Let Hodge show his wares at 12 in a test match that isn't against the best team in the world at the ground they never lose at. Kuridrani to 13 for the same reasons as Pocock at 7. Not the world's biggest 'Drani fan but he's a solid ball runnerand solid defender with test experience to boot. The 12-13 channel is the main attacking channel for Wales so we need someone who'll tackle all day here. He won't let us down and Folau to be tested at 13 against Scotland.
11, 14-15: Only surprise here is Naivalu. Speight going for the intercept against NZ is a fucking drop-able offense if I've ever seen one. If you've been gifted your first test cap after some pretty average form don't you dare go for an intercept off a set piece play 10m out from our try line in the first half of the game. He let ALP score the world's easiest try.
Aside from that, Speight and Naivalu are pretty similar players but Naivalu edges him on pace and current form. I also thought Naivalu was looking to get quite involved when he came on and I think that should be rewarded.
The Bench:
16. Slipper
17. Hansen
18. AAA / Robertson
19. Simmons
20. Hooper
21. Frisby
22. Quade
23. Speight / McMahon
Rationale:
16-17: Slipper is class yet his form hasn't been fantastic. Let him play back into form as I think his scrummaging can be top-notch and he's about as dynamic around the park as props come. Hansen to get more game time (Moore has been playing too many minutes) and one of the young guns to round off the reserve front row.
19-20: Dob Dimmons has impressed me off the bench of late which says a lot as I fucking hate him as a player. I think we should look to speed the game up in the last 20-30 and he'll help us do this. He's never offered much impact but he's reliable and hopefully some time on the bench will continue to fire him up. Hooper needs no introduction nor explanation.
21-22: To come in the last 20-30 to speed the game up alongside 19-20. Where Quade will play I'm not sure but I have no doubt he'll get considerable minutes at 10 on tour, both in the starting team and from the bench.
23: Either Speight to offer some backline cover, or McMahon to assist with the breaking open of the game in the last 30. McMahon is an absolute animal and deserves to be on the field, but I'm not sure if its optimal for the balance of the team.
A 6-2 split would be possible as many of our backline players are quite versatile (see below), and I think Cheika may be tempted into going for it considering McMahon is exactly the type of abrasive player he loves, and doesn't require too much of a compromise as he is a solid lineout option. Could see him going on for either Timani or Fardy in the second half.
Backline Permutations:
Player: main position, secondary position, (tenuous cover if needed).
Phipps: Halfback, (wing).
Foley: Flyhalf, inside centre, fullback, (wing).
Naivalu: Wing, outside centre.
Hodge: Inside centre, outside centre, wing, fullback.
Kudridrani: Outside centre, (wing), (inside centre).
DHP: Wing, fullback, (outside centre).
Folau: Fullback, wing, outside centre.
Frisby: Halfback.
Quade: Flyhalf, fullback, (inside centre), (wing).
